Coimbatore

Casteist twist to crematorium row

A petition has been filed at the Collectorate for a crematorium after the land on the century-old one was returned to the owner and cremation was disallowed on the new allotted land.

The Viduthalai Chiruthai Kachi (VCK) of Kaduvettipalayam in Chandrapuram village petitioned the authorities after the owner of the private land ordered an end to cremation on that plot.

The issue cropped up when one Maakali (95) died and rituals prior to the cremation were being performed on the new land assigned by the authorities. Allegedly, a group of locals belonging to an upper caste prevented them from going ahead with the rituals.

“We had submitted a petition earlier which was forwarded to the Tahasildar by the District Collector. A meeting was held where the Gounders did not want us to be on par with them,” says organisation district office-bearer.

Around 200 people from 40 families of the community live in village in Sulur taluk.